It includes a refacing of the facility exterior, reconfiguration of the Emergency Services entrance, and creation of a two-level parking garage, adding 99 parking spaces to the campus. McVay also announced the health system’s next expansion projects.

Ocala Health Board of Trustees, employees, physicians and visitors gathered near the hospital’s front entrance as McVay, County Commissioner Carl Zalak, and CEP President and CEO Kevin Sheilley addressed the audience. A ribbon cutting followed at the newly designed hospital entrance.

“For the last several years as the number of patients we serve increased, accessibility to our campus became more difficult – for patients, their family members, visitors, physicians, and for our Emergency Medical Services teams. We needed to improve access,” noted McVay. “This endeavor was challenging at times but the final result was worth the effort.”

McVay went on to say that this recent undertaking would not have been possible without the support of local government, emergency medical services, physicians and employees, and thanked them for helping Ocala Health meet a real community need.

He then announced a $45M investment by the Hospital Corporation of America for expansion projects at both Ocala Regional and West Marion Community Hospital facilities.

On the Ocala Regional campus, plans are to build out approximately 56,000 square feet of new space, consolidating all current critical care beds into the new square footage. When completed, there will be a total of 34 intensive care unit beds. In all, there will be a net increase of 14 licensed beds at Ocala Regional. In addition, the post anesthesia care unit and pre-op area as well as pre- and post- cath lab areas will undergo complete renovation and upgrade.

“These plans are extensive; the financial investment being made by HCA is significant. These projects reflect the confidence HCA has in the work we do each day, in the way we deliver quality patient care to our community, and our ability to continue doing so,” McVay told the crowd. “We look forward to working with our community partners in our continued efforts to bring the highest level of quality healthcare to greater Marion County.”